


“The only question is how to make love stay.”

by notjustmom



Series: Tom Robbins Remix [5]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Tom Robbins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-04-06 22:46:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14067240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom
Summary: follows "Love is dope, not chicken soup."





	“The only question is how to make love stay.”

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Čeština available: [„Pak už jen zbývá vyřešit, jak přimět lásku, aby zůstala.“](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16280018) by [QueenMedbtheSecond](https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenMedbtheSecond/pseuds/QueenMedbtheSecond)



"A couple more steps..."

"I know how many bloody steps there are, John." Sherlock mumbled into his chest.

"I know you know, I'm reminding myself, you aren't as light as I thought or hoped you'd be -" John huffed as he carefully shifted Sherlock in his arms.

"I told you I could walk."

"You nearly fell out of the cab, you idiot, would have if I hadn't caught you. You should still be in hospital, the only only reason I was allowed to sign you out was because -"

"I love you?"

"Stop it. I'm still angry with you -" John snorted as he pushed the door open with his foot and let out a sigh of relief as he gently deposited Sherlock on the couch, then leaned down to kiss his forehead. "Tea. I need some tea."

"You look like hell," Bernie muttered under his breath.

"Ta very much, Bern," Sherlock yawned at him. 

"What the hell happened?" Billy growled louder than he intended.

"I'll tell you what the hell happened. The idiot decided to get in the way of a bullet. An inch or two either way -" John stomped out of the kitchen, then looked over at Billy and shrugged as he turned his gaze on Sherlock. "I'm talking to a skull."

Sherlock nodded and bit his lip as he watched John's face carefully.

"Finally told him," Charley mumbled.

"About damn time," Bernie sniffed.

"Does everyone - everything talk in here?"

"They mostly just listen, you can only hear them if, well, they want you to, and if you choose to listen." Sherlock groaned as he tried to sit up.

"No, idiot - don't. Let me help you," John grunted as he somehow managed to settle himself around Sherlock, and the entire room seemed to sigh happily, as John ran his fingers through Sherlock's sweat matted curls and kissed his shoulder. "I don't recall choosing to -"

Hildegarde was smiling in spite of herself. "You chose to when you realised you loved our Sherly. We loved him first, still love him, so if you - "

"Hildegarde. Don't get your strings in a twist, love. Do you honestly think I'd let out a room to someone who would hurt him? Now calm down, dear, Sherlock needs his rest, John wants his tea, and he's new to this, so be gentle with him, hmm?" Mrs. Hudson ruffled John's hair gently, then moved silently into the kitchen and started puttering around, while she waited for the kettle to finish.

"Of course, Martha, apologies."

"If they hadn't approved?" John asked quietly.

"You wouldn't have lasted a week." Sherlock chuckled then winced, as the pain meds were starting to wear off. "I've had a few flatmates, usually I scare them off all on my own in a couple of days, but -"

"That last one -"

"What did you do?" John looked around the room apprehensively. "Wait, do they have names?"

Sherlock rolled his eyes as Mrs. Hudson put a couple of pills in his hand, waited patiently as he pushed them into his mouth, then handed him a glass of water. He handed it back to her with a nod. "Of course they do. I'll make introductions later, or they can if they aren't too busy." He looked up at John and asked shyly, "you won't go anywhere?"

John kissed his nose lightly and shook his head. "Nope. I'm staying right here, Bee."

"Beeeee..." The books hummed together. "He has a nickname already..."

"Are the books always like that?" John grinned and waved at them, then wondered why he had done that. Lack of sleep, too much hospital food -

"They do tend to be a bit on the romantic side." Sherlock muttered as he drifted off to sleep.

Mrs. Hudson brought John a mug of tea and watched as he took a sip and closed his eyes. "Perfect. Does everything -"

She shook her head, "It's not quite that bad. Billy is the skull, Hildegarde, Hildy for short, is the Strad, she's the oldest and crankiest, been with Sherlock the longest, so is very protective. Bernie is his chair, Charley is your pillow, Bitsy is the Who's Who, the rest of the books - there's a list somewhere, Sherlock, of course, knows them by heart - you are taking this all very well, I have to say, I was a bit worried."

"So you hear them too -"

"I am their housekeeper - so naturally, yes - you are only the third person they have decided to communicate with, and it's only because they know, well that first case -"

"They know?" John nearly spilled his tea.

Mrs. Hudson sighed at him. "Of course they know, once you were finally asleep, Sherlock woke them all up and told them the story about how you saved him. They've been waiting for you - to realise, they had to be sure that you were the 'one'."

"The 'one'?"

"His 'true love'."

"Wait. What?"

"They've watched The Princess Bride a few too many times, I fear."

"Ah. I see -"

"Don't worry, dear, it took Sherlock a long time to get used to this, all that logic and reason, you know. I think you have more imagination in you, and you've been in a war, so you know how ridiculous the world truly is. They might play tricks at first, and might ignore you a bit, but not to worry, as Sherlock said, if they wanted you gone -"

"So this is their flat -"

"Yes, of course. It took a very long time... never mind."

John looked at her and shrugged. "I promise -"

"No. Don't promise, John. Just love him, he needs it, and so do you, I think you've known -"

John nodded and whispered, "when I thought he -"

"I know, dear. Let me take that mug, you need to rest now, too. He's not so good at behaving when he's hurt, maybe he'll listen to you."

"I dunno about that, but thank you, Mrs. H."

"No, thank you, dear."

 

"How long do you think he'll stay, Charley?"

"Dunno, Bernie. How long does love stay? Now go to sleep."

"How am I supposed to sleep now?"

"Hildy?"

"Yes, yes, alright..." She hummed a bit of John's lullaby until she felt the room settle into a restful pause. "Good night, John. How is he?"

"He's sore and uncomfortable, but he's going to be fine, Hildy. Don't worry too much, hmm?"

"It's hard not to."

"I know. I do promise to stay."

"He's not the easiest person. Sometimes -"

"I know, but I love him."

"Good. Night, John."

"Night, Hildy." John shook his head as he turned out the lights then went back to bed.


End file.
